AUSTIN, Texas — The lifted COVID-19 mandates from Gov. Greg Abbott are creating mixed signals for Texans and also businesses.
A lot of the businesses in Austin are sending emails to their customers or posting on social media or put up signage at their businesses saying they still will be requiring masks. This comes after Mayor Steve Adler Tuesday said they were still required across the city.
But the mixed messages from local and state leaders are creating frustration for businesses.
Amos Lowe is a brewer and owner at the Austin Beer Garten and Brewing Company in Austin and says they aren’t making any immediate changes to the way they operate. Despite the mixed signals, they're going to continue to operate within the local COVID-19 safety guidelines. For the most part, Lowe says their customers are happy to comply.
"Every once in a while people get very militant about things and angry about things and take them a little more personally than I would expect but it’s pretty rare," said Amos Lowe, brewer and part owner of the Austin Beer Garten and Brewing Company.
Gov. Abbott says businesses should have the flexibility to operate the way they want, but Lowe says that puts them at odds with customers who don't want to comply with the rules.
"When Greg Abbott comes out and says hey it's a free for all, but not everyone's comfortable with that and we want to keep masks on when people are up and about mingling closely together, our staff end up policing this thing and it shouldn't be that way," said Lowe.
Rebecca Fischer, an infectious disease expert at Texas A&M says the move is unfairly putting pressure on businesses to drop safety protocols.
“It is tempting to the business owner to think that things are safe now because the mandate has been lifted which of course is not the case nor is that the message that should send to us, that it is safe,” she said.
Lowe says he wishes mask-wearing wasn't so political.
"I want to serve beer and pizza and save my livelihood and all my employee's livelihoods. I don't like wearing a mask either, but if it allows me to run my business and help us get past this thing, I'll gladly do it," said Lowe.